


The Man

by HorizonGaming



Category: None - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 20:57:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16940598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HorizonGaming/pseuds/HorizonGaming





	The Man

The trio of Josh, the quiet kid, Andy, the jock and Ben, the nerd, had entered the hall. They had been planning this “expedition” for a matter of hours before setting out. They had all been in detention for their own reasons. While in detention, Andy had made plans to go to this place that society and time had forgotten pressuring the other two to join him. Ben was against the idea, yet Josh agreed with no opposition.

The room they had entered was the abandoned orchestra hall, it had been left alone to slowly rot since the late 1800’s. It suffered damage from bombs during the second world war, which led to parts of it collapsing. The first thing they noticed when they entered wasn’t the awful stench, or the torn down curtains, but the rays of light shining through the ceiling. They triumphantly shattered through the dome roof and revealed dust particles engaging in a dance routine, suspended twenty, maybe thirty feet up. Then they started to see the more peculiar aspects the room. Directly in front of the stage lay a mound of just over 2 dozen white fedoras, which had been shrouded over by dust and ash. The black and white checkered floor was cracked and faded, as were the once vibrant red carpets that lined the isles. The curtains were similar to the carpets, but had also been covered in burn marks, most likely from delinquents’ attempts at trying to impress friends. 

“So boys, where do we begin?” interjected Andy to break the eerie silence. 

“Maybe the stage?” Responded Josh, followed by a grunt of agreement from Ben.

Ben was quite shy, he’d usually stay at home, but he got caught doing homework for Andy, which got both of them in detention together and so he followed Ben and Josh to the hall. Josh got in detention for not doing his homework, with the usual excuse of having no inspiration or reason to.

The trio stood upon the stage, admiring what was once a hall of great music and prestige. The intricate patterns covered by sheets of dust, the floor which would’ve been walked upon by society’s higher class, and the high domed ceiling, like the glass ceiling of the musicians who once played here, was broken through. 

Their deep immersion in this display of history was broken only by a figure walking straight through it. On the upper section of the hall, was a figure in white contrasting against the ash grey of the wall behind it. The spell cast upon the boys had been broken by the appearance of the figure, but nobody had dared speak, as they didn’t want to be noticed by it. 

The boys all looked toward each other, Andy kept composure, Josh was noticeably uneasy about the figure’s presence but Ben was terrified. He took a step back, and the floorboards let out a loud creak, it sounded like it was fuelled not by the careless steps of a teenager, but pure, unfiltered agony. The boys had looked back upon the figure, meanwhile the figure had already looked upon them, and had started to slowly walk toward them. 

Upon further inspection, the figure seemed to be a man of average build. Tall but not so tall that he’d tower above others, muscular but not so muscular he’d intimidate people. Nothing about him was really intimidating, more unsettling. He was too normal, too average, for a man dressed fully in white roaming an abandoned orchestra hall. 

Before long the man had reached the trio, as he walked up a set of stairs on the left side of the stage, he took off a white fedora and cast it down in front of the stage. By the time he had ascended the stairs, even Andy had lost composure. Josh seemed to be almost unaware of the man’s presence, meanwhile Ben was frozen behind them both.

“So, you dare come here into my domain without trying to introduce yourself, nor trying to make an effort to look presentable? You delinquents lack etiquette, begone.” said the man in a very commanding and powerful tone. 

The trio were caught off guard by the way he spoke. They were expecting a very rough, gritty voice, considering his ‘home’, or lack thereof. His voice, however, was very smooth, yet strong. Calming, yet commanding. Soothing, yet unsettling. 

The man took a few more strides toward them, an unbridled determination to reach them in each step. He had a fire in his eyes, a fire that could only be extinguished if he had achieved his goal; that goal being to remove the 3 boys from his domain.

“Hey, hey! Stay back you freak!” yelled Andy, to receive no reaction from the man approaching him, each rhapsodical step being another nail in the coffin of the trio.

What was going on inside the head of the man you may be asking? Thoughts of his childhood were racing through his distorted mind, back when he was a boy like these, he was the exact same, constant exploring and pushing the limits of the world. However, his foolish attempts to make a name for himself are what led to his fate. These thoughts didn’t distract or slow him down, they just added more aggressive intent to each step. 

“What’s going on Andy? Why is he here?” Ben incoherently mumbled. 

“I don’t know” Andy responded, with a hint of shame in his voice.

“Josh?” Ben cried out.

Josh stood completely still, trembling. He was lost, as were the rest of them, not ready to be found.

The man’s inexorable approach halted, he looked down upon the Josh, pity in his deep, brown eyes. Taking him back to his childhood, a part of him cast into the shadows that had seemingly come back around to meet him once more. Something that after he was left in this desolate place, he found useless. The whole idea of trying to act tough, was exactly that, an act. 

The man backed away, hearing the other 2 boys screaming Josh’s name, in an attempt to save him, if only he had friends like that when he needed them, all those years ago. 

“I see” he muttered to himself before continuing. “These people, they care about you, do they not?” 

Josh froze, before nodding his head.

“Indeed it would appear that way, alas, after so many years I’ve grown numb to such emotions.” The man said, lifting Josh’s chin up.

“You’re insane!” Andy yelled at him, shuddering.

“I’m not insane kiddo, I’m just ahead of the rest of society, this state awaits us all, once your parents, friends and lovers pass on, what do you have? Nothing. The only difference between me and those people, is that my parents, friends and lover left by choice, out of convenience.” the man responded, a look of sadness shrouding his face. 

Andy fell silent, Ben’s whimpering stopped, and Josh looked up at the man.

The man locked eyes with Josh. He started to feel a flint repeatedly strike his heart, the look in his eye was the same withdrawn look he’d given himself in the mirror all those years ago, back in his childhood. A time which was somewhat happier than now, where he could at least share his sorrow with friends, like this boy.

He placed his hand upon Josh’s shoulder, and whispered into his ear.

“Boy, you don’t belong here. You’re taciturn, those eyes have little life. In my time here, I’ve seen my day become endless night, my dawn is yet to arrive, yet your spirit may still burn bright. You’re fighting a duel with an enemy you cannot see, nor can you feel his blade, until you’ve been struck down. Use your brightness to reveal your opponent, and to show you the path to a brighter tomorrow, go.”

Josh, with a spark in his eye, nodded.

“As for you two, stay by this boy’s side, his future will ignite a flame in your hearts to, stay with him, for he will be a beacon for you both” he said to Andy and Ben, his voice mesmerising both of them, until they simultaneously nodded.

The three left, looking back upon the man as they strode into the light.

The man smiled with sad eyes. Why did he do that? He wasn’t so sure himself. He was remembering how he made terrible decisions after having nobody to guide him. He wanted to guide Josh, but alas, his time was limited by fate. He pulled out a pocket watch. It read quarter to five.

“Twelve minutes huh? Deary me, I didn’t really want to leave so soon.” he said to himself, putting up a smile, for those around him to see, those who had left in form, but were there in spirit, showing happiness in joining them. 

After all these years, all these months, all these days, only on his last day did he manage to actually help someone. 26 years, only now does he helps someone. If only he hadn’t given away his life to save her, his lover, he would’ve been able to help so many more people. He lay upon the mound of fedoras, looking up at the endless sky, picturing a happy life, a different life. Listening to the sound of silence that surrounded him, a glassy tear rolling down his aged face.

“Four to Five? Oh my, time has flown by.” He dropped down his watch, and looked back up, watching the dust particles partake in a dance, more elegant and beautiful than any human could ever hope to perform.


End file.
